Since I last editorialized about model/entrepreneur/hot person Linda Tran much has changed and much has stayed just the same. On the ‘just staying the same’ side of things, Linda is still really sexy.
Now, what’s changed: first and foremost her official site – www.lindatran.net - has been re-designed. The rebuilt domain is complete with bolder graphics, warm colors and new features like an RSS news feed, customer support center and a brand new section called Mobile Assets, a mobile graphics service, which allows users to select from an online image gallery and download it to their mobile phone as wallpaper. Right now there are 30 different images to choose from with new pictures added monthly. Your phone will be quite happy.
(Full disclosure: For my phone I believe I’ll be selecting the last photo in the third column of images…the one where she shows off her ass, which ranks as one of the all-time greats in Model Land.)
She even has her own Blog, which, as we all know, is the cool thing to be doing nowadays. There really is tons of great features on the site including, of course, numerous galleries of sexy images (12,500 and counting), naughty video chats, hours and hours of downloads, scrapbook, glamour girls, auctions, artwork, store, steamy movie clips and enough hot girl-on-girl action to keep you happy for a long, long time.
One of my favorite sections is called Ten Reasons To Join, which actually lays out a compelling case for surfers to become members.
So back in ’03 – the Year of Tripp as I like to say because we had a girl on just about every cover that year with an interview/layout inside - and I had the pleasure to meet up with Ms. Tran for a latte’ and a chat.
And thus, in the spirit of re-purposing my entire AVN Online career, one model interview at a time, I thought I would publish a few highlights from my time spent with Linda Tran.
Commence Interview:
There's a coffee shop on L.A.'s Sunset Blvd. that's considered a hot spot for, yes, coffee, but also for observing jobless hipsters and aspiring and/or has-been actors. It's no coincidence that such a hip and happening joint would be the place I met with the equally hip and happening Linda Tran, she of LindaTran.net (fan site), LindaTran.com (mainstream), and AlotOfModels.com, her new affiliate program featuring beautiful models (via their official websites) and cool niche sites.
An intelligent and charming blend of exotic beauty and computer geek, Tran's interest in the Net began in 1997, when she built her first site as a promotional vehicle to launch her modeling career; she is one of the first Asian models to establish a significant Web presence.
Wearing hot pink sweats with a petite t-shirt, her gorgeous black tresses in a ponytail, Tran came into the shop a vision of blasé sex kitten paired with schoolgirl innocent. She graduated magna cum laude, but the day of our interview, she was looking magna cum hottie. A vet of magazines, fashion shows, and TV, Tran is equally passionate about her design career; a demanding balance between corporate life and modeling. With her head for business and bod for sin (sorry, Melanie Griffith) Tran is the very essence of the modern woman.
Tripp Daniels: I understand you handle all of the daily operation of your Website?
Linda Tran: Everything. You really do get to control everything. I used to have a Webmaster when I first started, but it lasted for three months: You can communicate your ideas but it never comes out truly as what you want. But I learned a lot from that person. Now, by being in control, I do all the design, the programming and marketing. The only thing I don't do is the photography.
TD: How did all of this begin, you modeling nude for your Website?
LT: I always had my portfolio site up, but I was in New York and I met a lot of photographers who shot fine art, like the black-and-white figure studies, and I started doing a lot of that work. And my friends were like, 'Why are you putting nudes on your site for free, you should just charge.' Back then everyone was starting a pay site, and there weren't any other Asian girls online, and I wanted money because school and going out was so expensive. And the whole pay site idea came about that way because I wanted money and I was already doing nudes, so I figured, what's the difference, going from black-and-white to color?
TD: What inspires you?
LT: Successful people inspire me. I lived in New York for a couple of years, and being in that city alone is just amazing. I moved there when I was 18; I was by myself, I was starting school ... It has energy and culture and it was a whole new experience. So I saw a lot of things.
TD: Three items you can't live without?
LT: My Rosebud Salve - which is my lip gloss. I use it like every 10 minutes ... my Dentine Ice; and a picture of my dogs.
TD: What makes you feel sexy?
LT: Having sexy lingerie on. Even when I'm in sweats, just knowing you have that lacey thong on makes a big difference in how you feel. And being in control, knowing I'm doing something that I manage myself, like the Website, for example.
TD: If you were going to hit on me, what special skill would you use?
LT: I really don't need to hit on guys because they all hit on me first. But I think my special skill is just giving them that special smile so they think it's really for them. They always appreciate that.
TD: When is it appropriate to lie?
LT: When you're talking about a girl's weight. White lies are good for that.
TD: Better song to have sex to: Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" or Sade's "Ordinary Love"?
LT: Sade. I have her CD.
TD: Describe yourself in one word.
LT: Workaholic.
TD: If you could sit courtside at a Lakers game with one person, who would it be?
LT: Madonna. She's been around for so long and she's still going strong. I love her attitude. I think she's a lot of fun. She'd be a fun girlfriend to hang out with.
TD: I hesitate to ask, but we always do, so please describe the underwear you have on.
LT: I'm wearing none. I don't think any girl in L.A. wears underwear [stands to show her low-slung sweatpants]: Look at how low these pants are.
TD: Favorite curse word?
LT: I say 'shit' a lot ... in different contexts.
TD: One thing you would change about yourself?
LT: I need to get out more, lately.
TD: What's the favorite part of your body?
LT: My face. Everyone else says my ass.
TD: What would your Bond Girl name be?
LT: Cima Derriere.
TD: What's this I hear about you having the best butt in the biz?
LT: I didn't know about it until my friends started telling me, "Oh my gosh, you've got to check out your own ass." So I started getting this a lot, from people I went to school with, from photographers I worked with, it just came all of a sudden. So when it came time to re-design my site, I was reading ... on AVN Online, of course ... that a lot of people don't use regular marketing to market their adult pay sites and everything comes from mainstream marketing because it's all about headlines. So I was like, "What would be a good headline for me?" Everyone's all, "I'm the 'Asian Amateur on the Net," but I thought, "Well, everyone says I have a big butt, let's capitalize on that."
TD: Do you think being Asian has been an advantage in the market?
LT: Definitely. 'Cause it's all about niches, and if you're just any girl online and just another pretty model with pictures, members don't see you as something special. I play up the Asian part, the ass part, I play up the all-natural part, so all of that together, all those niches together, really works to my advantage because I'm more unique.
TD: Tell me a newspaper headline you'd like to read about yourself one day.
LT: Business Mogul Linda Tran Bites Off Controlling Share of Apple.
Thoughts, opinions, comments, suggestions, cheap shots, love letters, haranguing, personalized erotica? How about a cool site I should know about? Drop me a note at [email protected]. Or don't. I really don’t care. I have a healthy self-image.
